'Occupy Seattle' protesters arrested at Westlake Park

By LEVI PULKKINEN and JOEL CONNELLY, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Updated 7:04 pm, Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Demonstrators, police and Seattle Parks and Rec officials fight over a tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in Seattle. The protest mirrored the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Protesters were ordered to remove their encampment from the park, leading to arrests of people that refused to move.

Demonstrators, police and Seattle Parks and Rec officials fight over a tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in Seattle. The protest mirrored the Occupy Wall

A protester attempting to block the removal of a tent is forced to the ground during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

A protester attempting to block the removal of a tent is forced to the ground during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Craig Tweney plays a drum during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Craig Tweney plays a drum during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Protesters chant as people are arrested during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Protesters chant as people are arrested during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Zack Pattin is arrested for refusing to move from his tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Zack Pattin is arrested for refusing to move from his tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Protesters surround a tent hoping to prevent its removal during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday.

Protesters surround a tent hoping to prevent its removal during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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During a brief shoving match a man becomes tangled in his backpack during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

During a brief shoving match a man becomes tangled in his backpack during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Campers wait to be arrested in a tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Campers wait to be arrested in a tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Eric Bacon cleans out his tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in Seattle. The protest mirrored the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Protesters were ordered to remove their encampment from the park by the Seattle Parks and Recreation department.

Eric Bacon cleans out his tent during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in Seattle. The protest mirrored the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Protesters were

A participant holds an umbrella during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

A participant holds an umbrella during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Protesters gather during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday.

Protesters gather during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Protesters wait to be arrested for refusing to move during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Protesters wait to be arrested for refusing to move during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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A sign in the Occupy Seattle encampment at Westlake Park on Wednesday.

A sign in the Occupy Seattle encampment at Westlake Park on Wednesday.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

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Coty Read plays a drum during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in Seattle. The protest mirrored the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Protesters were expecting an eviction notice from the City of Seattle.

Coty Read plays a drum during the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 in Seattle. The protest mirrored the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Protesters were expecting an

A man dressed in a Santa suit walks early Wednesday in a protest camp erected in Seattle’s Westlake Park. Mayor Mike McGinn has asked the protestors, who’ve been camped there since the weekend, to leave the square.

A man dressed in a Santa suit walks early Wednesday in a protest camp erected in Seattle’s Westlake Park. Mayor Mike McGinn has asked the protestors, who’ve been camped there since the weekend, to leave the

Seattle Parks Department workers took down the tents after the arrests were made.

Seattle police reported that they arrested 21 men, two women and two juveniles, both girls. Of those 25, nine were sent to the King County Jail on suspicion of obstructing a public officer. The other 16 were released, but police vowed to forward their cases to the city attorney for consideration of the same charge.

Dozens of bicycle patrol officers trained in crowd control were on scene at 2 p.m. after Seattle Parks Department officials told demonstrators they must remove their tents or be tresspassed from the park.

The mayor had made the same request Tuesday night, but demonstrators remained camped at the downtown park as the protests moved into their fifth day.

"It is not appropriate for people to put up tents and exclude others from a park, no matter how worthy the cause," McGinn told reporters. "They can protest and organize every day, but we just ask them to remove the tents."

The scene at Westlake Park was decidedly mellow early Wednesday, as a handful of bleary-eyed activists swept walkways established around the 40 or so tents erected in the downtown square. Police were not in evidence as the camp and city came to life.

As the day wore on, however, additional demonstrators arrived, as did police. A small clique of protesters began chanting anti-police slogans and curses while other demonstrators attempted to start chants more in line with the occupation's stated purpose.

Taking their inspiration from "99-1" protests in New York City and elsewhere, protestors appeared to be coalescing against what they see as the centralization of power by society's richest 1 percent.

"The message is that the 99 percent of us in the world are tired of the 1 percent having all the power," said Garth Carroll, a Washington resident who goes by Professor Gizmo, as he swept the walkway in front of a See's Candies storefront.

The Seattle protest followed a massive, ongoing action in Manhattan that has seen hundreds arrested. By comparison, the Westlake demonstration appeared sedate; organizers estimated the crowd has exceeded 200 during the day, with about 100 protesters staying overnight.

Late Tuesday, McGinn issued a statement supporting the protesters' aims while asking that they remove their tents from the park in part to make room for other scheduled events.

Speaking Wednesday morning, protester Noelle Stoffl said the police presence near the site had not been greater than anywhere else in the city. Generally, she said, the occupation has been “really chill.”

Stoffl said the protesters have formed several committees to deal with the needs of the camp. A sign reading “Info” affixed to her jacket with failing duct tape, Stoffl was the information committee of one.

While there was no overarching philosophy behind the protest, Stoffl said those gathered are essentially fed up without they see as excessive corporate power in the country.

“We all kinda feel that our government has stopped listening to the people and is just listening to the corporations,” she said. “Our elected leaders need to listen to us, because we’re the majority and that’s democracy.”

Speaking to reporters, McGinn said he supported aims of some of the protesters.

"The United States has experienced the greatest concentration of wealth since 1928," McGinn said. "And Seattle has a long tradition of tolerating the right to protest."

Marches were scheduled for noon and 4:30 p.m., with a general assembly at 4 p.m.